Closure combination for deformable container finish



March 28, 1967 w, LODDlNG ET AL 3,311,259

CLOSURE COMBINATION FOR DEFORMABLE CONTAINER FINISH Filed April 14, 1965 I8 12 I5 l9 INVENTORS WILLIAM F LODDING IWINDAUGAS J. KLYG/S CHARLES N. FOSTER BY j I I United States Patent 3,311,250 CLOSURE CGMBDJATEQN FOR DEFORMABLE' CONTAINER FINISH William F. Lodding, Orland Park, Mindaugas J. Klygis,

(Ihicago, and Charles N. Foster, Oak Park, 111., assignors to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Apr. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 448,130 Claims. (Cl. 215-40) This invention concerns a new and improved closure assembly particularly adapted for use on deformable container finishes such as are found on plastic containers and the like.

In its broadest sense, the closure assembly includes a container having a relatively deformable finish such as would be common in wide mouth plastic-type containers. A turnoff or rotatable closure cap equipped with a holding means cooperates with suitable lug means formed on the container finish to draw the two into intimate engagement. As the closure cap is rotated to draw the interposed sealing means into intimate engagement with the terminus or upper edge of the container finish, and establish a hermetic seal, rigidifying means carried by the closure cap co-operates with a peripheral portion of the container finish to stilfen the same, thereby resisting any deformation. When four lugs used, such deformation is sometimes referred to as squaring of the container finish since it attempts to assume a rectangular shape. in some embodiments, additional rigidity in the finish may be provided by a necked-in portion, head or the like.

The use of the present novel design permits standardized lug-type caps to be utilized with wide mouth containers having deformable finishes, and in particular, wide mouth plastic containers, while permitting establishment of a hermetic seal. Metal closure caps co-operating with what might be considered a deformable or flexible finish, in and of themselves are not new to the trade. in fact devices utilizing rigid or serni-rigid screw type closure caps have been used in co-operation with plastic containers with narrow mouths such as in bleach containers and the like. Screw caps have also been used to close off wide mouth plastic containers housing fluent or semisolid materials such as paste and the like which materials do not, in the strict use of the term, require a hermetic seal since these materials have little if any tendency to leak, should the seal be imperfect.

In conjunction with former designs, paper-type liners are provided and the caps utilize continuous or substantially continuous threads on a finish of increased thickness to preclude stripping of the cap and deformation of the finish. Obviously, the use of wide mouth plastic containers with a lug type cap design is most desirable for mass use if the deformation problems noted above can be coped with at a reasonable expense and a hermetic sealing relationship maintained at all times through the normal handling impacts. To the attainment of this end, the present invention provides a lug-type closure cap which is appropriately dimensioned and shaped in the region of the panel to provide increased rigidity to the upper or deformable part of the finish forming the wide mouth of the container. In another embodiment, a reinforcing section of reduced diameter is provided at the lower end of the finish to lend additional rigidity to the finish. Through the use of the novel arrangement of the present invention wide mouth containers with deformable finishes can be effectively used with lug-type caps to establish a hermetic seal.

A more complete comprehension of the salient features of the present invention can be had upon a consideration of the ensuing objects and description of a preferred embodiment.

It is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved closure assembly.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a new and improved closure cap in combination with a container having a flexible or deformable finish.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide a new and improved closure assembly including a lug-type closure cap in combination with a container having a flexible or deformable finish and further including means to rigidify the container finish to prevent stripping of the lug-type cap or squaring of the container finish with resulting loss in container sealing.

Further and fuller objects will become readily apparent when reference is made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary diametric cross section taken through a plastic container with the lug-type cap applied;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary half section of the closure assembly of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged half section similar to FIG. 2 illustrating a modified form of closure assembly.

The closure assembly 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 includes a container indicated generally by the reference numeral 11 which is closed off at the top by a closure cap indicated generally at 12. The container 11 is formed with the usual finish 13 having suitable lug means 14 thereon for cooperation with the closure cap 12. The container 11 may be formed of plastic or similar deformable material which, unlike glass, is not subject to fracture from the usual impacts and rough handling during capping, shipping, packaging and sale.

The closure cap 12 consists of a cap body or shell having a top panel portion indicated generally at 15 and a depending skirt portion indicated generally at 1%. The cap bodies or shells are stamped out of suitably coated tin plate although other materials may be used. Under the usual circumstances, the tin plate is coated such as by the enameling, lacquen'ng or the like to form a protective coating thereon and a background for the usual advertismg.

The lower margin of the skirt 16 may be provided with a plurality of lugs 17 for cooperative relationship with the lugs 14 formed on the finish 13 of the container 11. In one commercial form, four such lugs have been used with a high degree of success and good results in the re-sealing of the closure cap 12 to the container 11, after it has been removed. Obviously, the number and shape of the lugs 17 may be varied to suit the particular application.

The top panel 15 includes an annular channel 18 around the outer edge which channel forms with a central panel portion 19 a shoulder 20 which in the present design is of frustoconical shape. Suitable gasket means 21 may be positioned in the channel 18 and although shown as a rectangular gasket may take other forms such as for example, the feather edge design described in the patent to DH. Zipper, No. 2,841,304, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

The closure assembly of FIG. 1 illustrates the parts in their operative relationship. The container 11 is rigidified at the terminus or upper end of the finish by means of an annular radially extending flange 22 which is ultimately receivable in the annular channel 18 formed in the closure cap 12. The inner peripheral margin 23 of the flange 22 is formed to a diameter falling between the maximum and minimum diameters of the frustoconical surface 20. Accordingly, the frustoconical surface engages the inner margin 23 when the cap is firmly seated on the finish and the upward facing surface of the flange 22 is engaged with the seal 21.

If desired, the inner marginal edge 23 of the flange 22 may be formed to a fr'ustoconical shape on an included angle which is similar or substantially identical to the included angle of the frustoconical surface on the top panel portion of the cap 12. In any event, the dimensional relationship between the frustoconical surfaces must be such that they will be engaged at the time that the cap is firmly seated such engagement must not interfere with the establishment of a hermetic seal between the flange 22 and cap 12 through the gasket means 21.

While the radial extending flange 22 serves to lend rigidity to the upper end of the container finish, a certain amount of flexibility still remains in the finish such that slight irregularities in the container finish, particularly in the region of the inner peripheral margin, may be accommodated as the frustoconical shoulder 20 moves into engagement to control and prevent any further movement of the annular flange 22. While the frustoconical shoulder 20 is formed in the present instance by means of recessing the top panel it is obvious that the entire panel need not be recessed, but may be formed of a series of concentric channels or the like with only the outer frustoconical shoulder 20 needed adjacent the perimeter to rigidify the Wide mouth on the container finish.

The closure assembly indicated generally at in FIG. 3 includes the usual closure cap 21 having a top panel portion 32 and skirt 33. A fragmentary portion of a container 34 having a usual finish 35 is illustrated as receiving the closure cap. A suitable lug means 36 is provided on the container finish for co-operation with lugs 37 formed on the lower edge of the skirt 33. The upper end of the container finish 35 is formed with a radially inwardly extending flange 38 terminating in circumferential surface 39 serving to rigidify the upper margin of the finish 35. The container 34 which is of wide mouth design, is also provided with a necked-in portion 40 immediately below the container finish 35 to lend sectional rigidity to the lower portion of the finish. While the necked-in portion is shown in the form of an annular channel, other techniques may be employed such as a solid head, or any suitable shape which will serve the desired function. The closure cap 30 is formed with an annular channel 41 to receive the gasket 42 which may be of the type described in connection with FIGS. 1 and 2. The outer marginal edge of the channel 41 is formed into a frustoconical section 43 which terminates in a radially extending portion 44 which merges into the circumferential skirt portion 33.

The frustoconical section 43 has a maximum diameter which exceeds the outside diameter of the container finish 35. Accordingly, the inner frustoconical surface 45 on the section 43 engages the container finish 35 at the upper marginal edge 46 so that the radial force acts generally in the direction of the radial flange 38. The vertical component of force acts downwardly towards the lugs 37 with the result that rigidity is imparted to the container finish at the upper edge or terminus to prevent squaring and/or stripping of the lugs 37 over the lug-type threads 36. Additional rigidity at the lower portion of the finish 35 may be provided by the necked-in portion 40 as pointed out above.

Containers of a wide mouth design may be formed of fracture resistant plastic for use with the relatively standardized and popular lug-type metal caps. Most im- 4 portantly, the unique closure assembly of the present invention combining co-operating plastic and metal parts provides a hermetic seal which permits any type of product to be packed therein, not being limited to the fluent or semi-solid materials formerly used.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description is limited to the preferred embodiments of this invention and obviously various modifications may be made without departing from its spirit and scope. Only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated by the spirit of the appended claims.

\Ve claim:

1. A closure assembly comprising in combination a plastic container having a finish forming a relatively wide mouth, said container finish being relatively deformable in response to forces normally developed in capping, spaced lug means on said container finish adapted for co-operation with a closure cap, said closure cap having a top panel portion and a skirt portion, said skirt portion being equipped with co-operating spaced lug-type means engaging said spaced lug means on said container, and rlgid means formed on said closure cap and engageable with said container to prevent deformation of the container finish when said lug means on said closure cap is in t1ght engagement with said lug means on said finish.

2. The closure assembly of claim 1 wherein sealing means is carried in the top panel portion of said cap and is shaped to receive a terminal portion of said container finish to form a hermetic seal therewith.

3. The closure assembly of claim 2 wherein said terminal portion of said container finish is formed with a radially projecting flange presenting an upwardly facing radially extending surface to the top panel portion of said can.

4. The closure assembly of claim 1 wherein said figid means formed on said closure cap to prevent deformation of said container finish comprises a frusto-conical shoulder portion formed in the top panel portion of said cap and engageable with a peripheral portion of said container finish.

5. The closure assembly of claim 4 wherein said shoulder portion engages said peripheral portion of said container finish around the inner marginal edge.

6. The closure assembly of claim 4 wherein said shoulder portion engages said peripheral portion of said container finish around an outer marginal edge.

7. A closure assembly comprising in combination a wide mouth plastic container having a deformable finish, spaced lug means embossed on said finish, a closure cap having a top panel portion and skirt portion, spaced lug means formed in said skirt portion for co-operation with said spaced lug means on said container finish, said top panel portion having an annular gasket recess with inner and outer peripheries formed adjacent said skirt portion, gasket means in said recess for co-operation with the container finish to form a hermetic seal therewith, and rigid means formed in said closure cap adjacent one of the peripheries of said gasket recess to co-operate with said container to rigidify said finish in the region of said gasket means and resist deformation by forces generated by said co-operating lug means.

8. The closure assembly of claim 7 wherein neck means is formed on said finish below said lug means to rigidify the lower portion of said finish.

9. The closure assembly of claim 7 wherein said rigid means comprises the outer periphery of said gasket recess co-operating with an outer circumferential portion of said finish.

10. The closure assembly of claim 7 wherein said rigid means comprises the inner periphery of said gasket recess co-operating with an inner circumferential portion of said finish.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Von Till 21544 Millard 215-31 Hohl et a1 215-40 Blythe 215-43 X Stan ISO-0.5 Greenwell 215-40 X 6 FOREIGN PATENTS 92,732 4/ 1962 Denmark. 1,309,295 10/1962 France.

64,527 9/ 1892 Germany.

JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner. FRANLIN T. GARRETT, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners.

D. F. NORTON, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A PLASTIC CONTAINER HAVING A FINISH FORMING A RELATIVELY WIDE MOUTH, SAID CONTAINER FINISH BEING RELATIVELY DEFORMABLE IN RESPONSE TO FORCES NORMALLY DEVELOPED IN CAPPING, SPACED LUG MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER FINISH ADAPTED FOR CO-OPERATION WITH A CLOSURE CAP, SAID CLOSURE CAP HAVING A TOP PANEL PORTION AND A SKIRT PORTION, SAID SKIRT PORTION BEING EQUIPPED WITH CO-OPERATING SPACED LUG-TYPE MEANS ENGAGING SAID SPACED LUG MEANS ON SAID CONTAINER, AND RIGID MEANS FORMED ON SAID CLOSURE CAP AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID CONTAINER TO PREVENT DEFORMATION OF THE CONTAINER FINISH WHEN SAID LUG MEANS ON SAID CLOSURE CAP IS IN TIGHT ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LUG MEANS ON SAID FINISH.
 2. THE CLOSURE ASSEMBLY OF CLAIM 1 WHEREIN SEALING MEANS IS CARRIED IN THE TOP PANEL PORTION OF SAID CAP AND IS SHAPED TO RECEIVE A TERMINAL PORTION OF SAID CONTAINER FINISH TO FORM A HERMETIC SEAL THEREWITH. 